Miss Pretty
by BelinhaZpears
Summary: The first thing he notices is her laugh.
1. Part I - First impressions

**Disclaimer: **characters and places belong to Ryan Murphy and to Fox Network. If you find this fanfiction similar to another one, it's nothing more than a coincidence.

**Production: **September 2012 / June – August 2014

**Rating: **G

**Summary: **The first thing he notices is her laugh.

**Extra: **sets in S2. Scenes aren't transcripted from the episodes and do not follow every single detail from them, as you'll surely understand during your reading.

This started out as something else, but I felt like writing something to honor Sam Evans and the awesome character he could have been if Glee had been a better show. You're still my favorite male, Sam – you'll always be better than whatever they think you are!

* * *

**A/N: **English is not my first language and I don't have a beta-reader at the moment, so I'm sorry for any mistakes, no one is perfect. Hope you enjoy this fanfiction as much as I enjoyed writing it. :)

* * *

**MISS PRETTY**

_Maybe it won't take you too long_

_To see me as more than just another guy_

_Maybe by then it won't be too late_

_To take you away with me..._

"Menina Bonita" (_Pretty Girl_), EZ Special

**Part I**

_**First impressions…**_

The first thing he notices is her laugh.

She's sitting at the nearby benches and is part of the strangest group of admirers he has ever seen. There are two cheerleaders jumping and waving their pompons in the air, a girl all dressed in black with streaks of blue hair, a brunette wearing clothes that could have been picked from her grandmother's closet and _her_, who seems like the most random person around.

But she's laughing and at some point he realizes he can't take his eyes off her.

She has a beautiful laugh. Her lips are wide open, showing a row of perfect teeth, her head is slightly thrown off behind and her dark hair is dancing around her face, following the rhythm of her chuckles. More than beautiful, her laugh seems happy.

Truly happy. Contagiously happy.

He can't hear it, but in that moment he's sure that her laugh sounds like music.

She looks away from the girls and suddenly their eyes meet. He can see the smile slowly disappearing from her face and for a second he can swear that she's frowning. He's only noticing now that he's smiling too and her reaction reminds him that, without a good reason, staring and smiling at people he doesn't know makes him look like a fool, which is definitely _not_ the quickest way to make friends at this school.

But then she starts giggling again and he notices that she's now waving, even if a little shyly, at his direction. Maybe she just doesn't care about fools... His smile becomes wider and he's about to wave back at her, when some unexpected movement makes him turn his head. Those two guys from football tryouts – Finn and Mike, if his memory isn't playing tricks – are right behind him, already waving back and walking towards her and the other girls.

They pass him over without a word or a second look, and he feels like he should be thankful for the fact they didn't seem to notice what could have been a very awkward moment for the already awkward new transferred kid. He sees them approaching the girls and a lot of noise is heard in celebration when Mike takes the girl with blue streaks of hair on his arms and kisses her passionately.

He feels dislocated and he knows that it's his cue to leave. He doesn't know them and they don't know him. It's only September and there will be plenty of time to know those strange people, if both parts are interested. But not now. He starts walking away, throwing them a final glance because there's something about that group, though he's not sure what.

That's when he notices that the girl is still looking at him. She looks so tiny next to that gigantic Finn guy, but she's clearly staring over her shoulder – and looks away when their eyes meet for a second time, as a mischief-making child caught in the act. The distance is his enemy but he knows that she's laughing again, and for once he prefers to believe that her laugh has nothing to do with something that any of her colleagues might have said.

In that moment, Sam Evans is sure that he has to know that girl's name.

* * *

Mercedes is her name. Mercedes Jones. It takes him weeks, but it's finally revealed and he doesn't have to embarrass himself in order to know it.

Finn is the one doing the introductions, showing him a group picture from last year's Year Book when they're both leaving his first meeting with the Glee club:

"Mercedes is a wonderful girl and you can always count on her if you need a friend," he says, pointing a finger towards her image. "But don't be deceived by her innocent face, Sam, because she's totally capable of ripping your head off if you're being obnoxious!"

He trusts his words but they don't scare him, not even a bit.

A few meetings later, he hears her sing for the first time. She's performing with one of the cheerleaders he had seen her with at the football field and together they're _amazing_. But there's something about her that makes him forget the other girl. Her voice is captivating, it speaks straight to his heart, and her moves are wild, too wild for a girl of her size. He sees her dancing through the room – waving her arms in the air, shaking her ass to the crowd, lifting her legs to the rhythm of the beat – and he's not sure of how the shy girl from the back row transformed herself into a star, but he likes it.

He likes it _a lot_.

On the next day, he sits on the empty chair next to hers and tries to talk to her before the teacher's arrival:

"Hi! We weren't properly introduced yet. I'm Sam!"

"I know who you are." She doesn't add anything to her statement, but she's smiling when she answers back: "I'm Mercedes! Welcome to the Glee club!"

"You know, I saw you performing yesterday and you were… you were…" That was totally the most inappropriate moment for him to be speechless, but finding the proper word to describe her performance was harder than he thought. "_Phenomenal_! Yeah, that's it: you were phenomenal!"

She laughs at his enthusiasm, in the same way he had seen her laugh some weeks ago. And he was right: her laugh _does_ sound like music.

"Well, thank you, Sam," and she seems really thankful for his words. "Don't forget to vote Sancedes when the time comes!"

"Yeah, sure…"

He doesn't know what a 'Sancedes' is but he assumes that she's talking about the duets contest and, after what he has seen, he's sure that Mercedes and her partner are going to be tough competition.

"Who are you singing with?" he hears her ask then.

"Uh, with Quinn."

They both stare at the blonde girl sitting in the first row and his heart skips a beat (_again_) at her sight. He's under the impression that Quinn is the most beautiful girl in the world and something inside him keeps telling him that being paired up with her right on his first assignment – especially when considering that Kurt was supposed to be his partner – is some kind of a bad sign. He knows something will go wrong with Quinn, he has never been so lucky before.

But Mercedes makes a small noise with her mouth, apparently interested in the news, and stares right back at him. Her eyes seem friendly when she says:

"Nice! Can't wait to see what you're worth. And good luck!"

He's not sure if Mercedes' words have something to do with it, but luck is clearly by his side during his time with Quinn. After the kiss fiasco, she comes back, decided to make that duet work – and it does. They win the contest, apparently by one single vote.

He still thinks his victory isn't fair and wonders who, besides them, voted for their song. Unconsciously, he looks at Mercedes. Deep inside, he wants her to be as amazed by his talent as he was by hers. Deep inside, he's bearing the hope that she was the one writing his name on the paper. But this time she doesn't look back: she's too busy trying to calm down her partner, who keeps mumbling about cutting him and Quinn in little pieces and feed them to the dogs.

He doesn't notice Finn and Rachel's exchange of looks, their silent commemoration once the winners are announced. When Mr. Schue passes the coupons to his hands, he holds them above the head like a prize and appreciates the sound of applause when the group congratulates him for his victory.

For the first time, Sam has a strong feeling that he's going to enjoy this Glee club.

**TBC**


	2. Part II - The rise and fall

**Disclaimer: **characters and places belong to Ryan Murphy and to Fox Network. If you find this fanfiction similar to another one, it's nothing more than a coincidence.

**Production: **September 2012 / June – August 2014

**Rating: **G

**Summary: **The first thing he notices is her laugh.

**Extra: **sets in S2. Scenes aren't transcripted from the episodes and do not follow every single detail from them, as you'll surely understand during your reading.

* * *

**A/N: **I'd like to thank you for the response to the beginning of this work, I truly hope your expectations won't be defrauded.

Once again, English is not my first language and I don't have a beta-reader at the moment, so I'm sorry for any mistakes, no one is perfect. Hope you enjoy this fanfiction as much as I enjoyed writing it. :)

* * *

**MISS PRETTY**

**Part II**

_**The rise and fall…**_

It has been only a few months, but he feels like he's standing on the top of the world. He's a star! On the football field, on the Glee club, on the entire school… people _love_ him!

More than that, _Quinn_ knows who he is! It takes her some time – and he can't really blame her, considering what happened to her last year – but she finally admits that she wants him too. She's broken, but she wants to believe in happiness again. And it's all because of him.

He's aware that dating Quinn puts him up (_way_ up!) on the school's social system. And he's definitely aware that in that position he needs to fit a profile, to which he can't escape; a single mistake and he's out, with no excuses. But he doesn't care. He believes that every sacrifice is worth it. Because Quinn _loves_ him! And that is so unbelievable, so marvelous, so beyond brilliant, it pays off for the fact that he fails to conquer _her_ attention.

He knows that Mercedes doesn't hold the best opinion on him: she doesn't seem happy when he's chosen to represent the Glee club at Sectionals, and it's not the first time he notices her rolling her eyes at some of his comments. When the whole school seems to fall at his feet, she's part of that annoying group who believes that his head is getting bigger than it should be. _He knows_. And in a way, he feels defeated. He wishes for a way to show her that she's wrong, that he's actually a nice guy; that deep inside, he still likes to believe they could be good friends, if she gave him a chance.

But Mercedes is just a random girl standing at the bottom of the school's social hierarchy. A kind person, very talented, of course – but still, just a random girl! They're like two planets spinning at their own orbits. He doesn't need her approval when he has dozens of others by his side.

And with time, he just forgets about her. For once he dares to dream that his luck has changed and, apparently, it works. He's so happy he actually forgets that they are only small particles in the immensity of the universe. For a while, the world is only about Quinn and him and nothing else matters.

But things at McKinley High happen fast. _Way_ too fast.

The rumors are hurtful at the beginning: Quinn would never cheat on him, and especially not with Finn, the first person he had considered a friend in there! He's so sure he refuses to see the obvious, and it takes him a lot to admit the truth. But his embarrassment once he realizes that everyone takes him for an idiot for believing the lie breaks the spell – he's finally able to admit that Quinn's perfection doesn't reach her heart.

He looks straight into her hazel eyes to tell her that it's over and it feels good to understand that she can't weaken him anymore. This time he wants to break her heart like she broke his. That's when he tells her that he's dating another girl and he smiles victoriously when he sees the pain reflected in every line of her face.

Sam Evans is not a fool. Not anymore, anyway. He's McKinley's brightest star. He has reached the point where losing his popular girlfriend to his popular best friend can't hurt him. He's on top. Nothing can bring him down.

However, it won't take him too long to start wondering if there's any truth on such precious idea…

* * *

One day, he realizes that he's just old news: wherever he is, whatever he does, his star doesn't shine anymore.

Maybe people simply grew tired of him. Maybe he's not good at being the coolest guy anymore. Maybe he was never good at all. He's not sure, but he's definitely disappointed with the unexpected turn of events – especially now that his parents are out of jobs, struggling with money issues and things at home never felt so bad, he feels like his school life should be a little brighter to distract him from his personal nightmare. The only thing keeping him away from the background where he belongs is his relationship with Santana, the one he used to hurt Quinn and then kept to maintain his reputation.

And yet he knows that the ultimate fall is near.

It's another day and Sam attends a new meeting with the Glee club. Principal Figgins is there, talking about second chances and people who deserve to be forgiven after a serious mistake. He's not very convinced and has no trouble showing it, just like everyone else in the room – Kurt used to be one of them, in a way he still is, and though they're not very close, he knows that he's a good person. But his heart also knows that forgiveness is a blessing and he notices that Karofsky _does_ look remorseful. He's not sure of what to think, and he's certainly not the only one, since Mercedes (who sat by his side today) is looking as confused as he is.

His brain is still battling when Santana gets up from her chair and walks over towards Principal Figgins and Karofsky, taking their side. She says that it's time to end up with bullying and that she's willing to change too; they need to do this, for Kurt and for every other kid who has suffered like he did. He's astonished by her words and wonders if that is the same Santana he has been dating for the past few weeks. And then she smiles and she takes Karofsky's hand. They're together now: their common struggle brought them closer and they fell in love.

There are whispers in the crowd, but he doesn't pay attention to them. His eyes focus on the happy new couple and he can only hear that annoying little voice on the back of his head, screaming the truth he can no longer deny: "_You _are_ a fool, Sam Evans! You always were, you always will be and people will play you forever because you're too easy to be played!"_ The wisest words he has heard in months.

This is probably the worst Glee meeting he ever took part of. He can't concentrate and by the time they're dismissed his head is starting to hurt. He can't wait to go home, wherever home is now. Still, he packs up his things in slow motion as his colleagues are leaving the room within a great noise. That's when he hears her voice again:

"Are you okay?"

He looks up to find Mercedes, who's still standing right in front of him with her backpack falling from one shoulder. She's not smiling this time, but there's something in her dark eyes that make it safe for him to answer, even if he doesn't feel like talking:

"I guess…"

"We didn't even know you and Santana had broken up!"

"Me neither…"

She sighs and for a moment he thinks she's going to lay a hand on his shoulder. However, she doesn't and he suddenly regrets the distance she's keeping from him. He's aware that she's just respecting the fact that he never tried to be more than the guy she knows from the Glee club, but he's still disappointed; he wouldn't mind to feel the touch of another person, maybe then he could be sure that he was still real.

"Look, Sam," her voice sounds like a murmur but he can hear her perfectly because everyone is gone now and they're the only ones in the choir room, "I think you're a nice person, I really do! But if you want an advice…"

He tries to look straight into her eyes but she's staring at the floor, desperate to avoid visual contact with him. He's wondering why is she so tense when she's probably one of the most honest people he knows – and then it hits him, what she's about to say, and for a moment he can swear his heart is not beating anymore.

"I think you need to put your feet back on the ground," Mercedes lets slip after a few seconds of silence. "Just think about it. Please?"

It's his fault, he knows it. It's entirely his fault. He was blind by his quest for popularity, so blind he lost his heart in the middle. And Mercedes knows it too. That's the problem with random people at the bottom of the social hierarchy: they're too attentive, they always recognize who's living outside of their world. And now that the upper doors were closed for him, it's time to come back to where he belongs; without a fight, and definitely without complaints.

_He knows._

But when he tries to tell her that, she's already gone.

* * *

He hides the truth from everyone. From his colleagues, his teachers, even from the Glee club, always doing the opposite of what it preaches… No one needs to know.

The first to find out is Kurt. He's surprised to see him delivering a pizza at Dalton's and Sam is too tired to fight his curiosity, so he ends up telling him about the financial problems his family is going through. He also asks him to keep it a secret, and even when they're kicked out of home and start living at the motel he knows that Kurt is faithful to his promise.

Later it's Quinn's turn. They haven't talked since the break up and he's still hurt to be at her presence, but the priest mentioned something about his family needing help and she seems truly worried when she comes to him after mass. He doesn't want anything from her (Quinn is not trustworthy material, after all…) but he's not superman and he can't really afford to deny help when she's standing right in front of him.

He tries his best to avoid her, though. He leaves right after she arrives and most of the times she's already gone when he comes back to find his brother and sister sleeping in the arms of their parents. But after a while, Quinn feels confident enough to stay a little longer and talk to him; to tell him that she's sorry for what she did and, though she doesn't love him, she would still like to be his friend; to advise him to be honest, at least with the Glee club, because they might seem like a bunch of stupid and selfish people, but they had been there for her when she needed them the most and they would be there for him too if they knew the truth.

He wants to believe her, he does. But he remains silent, since the rumors are pissing him off and he can't believe people as helpful as Quinn claims them to be would be stupid enough to believe them. Until one day, when he's just standing there, at the choir room, sitting at his usual chair, minding his own business, all the craziness hits him. _Hard!_

Quinn and Rachel are once again fighting over Finn and the latter is mentioning something about the stupid rumor of him and Quinn at the motel, making Finn taste his own poison. He just shakes his head and pretends that he doesn't listen; his conscience is clear and he doesn't want to fight them anymore. But then Santana says that all of this is his fault. He's not even sure of what 'this' she's referring to, but people go insane after her commentary! It's like they had been keeping these words inside while waiting for the right moment to throw them at his face, so that they could enjoy his public embarrassment. People are accusing him of sleeping around with taken people and how ashamed he should be for engaging in this situation, and he can feel the blood starting to boil on his veins.

Sam does his best to defend himself. All he wants to do is to get up and leave, but somehow he can't – he needs to stand up for the truth, since no one is willing to do it for him. He tells them that Kurt and Quinn are only helping him through some tough times, the only thing they needed (no, _deserved_) to know. And then he hears the words that make it feel like time has stopped:

'_So, is that what you guys call it now?'_

He doesn't need to turn his head to know that it was Mercedes who spoke behind him. He doesn't need to look at her to see the judgment all over her face. She always shares her inner feelings through her voice and he can hear the hidden statement in such simple question: '_I don't believe you_'. Mercedes Jones – the girl he could always count if he ever needed a friend, the girl who wouldn't judge him no matter what he had done, the girl who would always give the other part a chance for an explanation – doesn't believe him.

For some reason, this is the thing that turns the switch on somewhere and he finally explodes. He ends up telling them _everything_: how his parents lost their jobs and they have no money left, how the motel is now their home, how he wears Kurt's clothes because he can't afford new ones, how Quinn helps him to babysit his siblings so he doesn't need to work at the night shift. He shuts up before telling them too about the sleepless nights at the room's door because their only bed isn't large enough for five people, or about his mother making shirts and skirts for Stevie and Stacy from her own wardrobe, or about his father drowning the tears on his pillow when he believes everyone is asleep, but his words are enough to shut everyone up.

They seem embarrassed. Even worse, they seem to pity him now and that's exactly what he was trying so hard to avoid. He doesn't want their pity; he doesn't want pity from _anyone_! Inside, his blood is still boiling, so he leaves the room and has to make an extra effort not to throw the door at his passage. At this moment, he just wants to leave the Glee club behind. And he swears to himself he'll never return.

Three days later, Finn and Rachel knock at the door of his motel room. They seem uncomfortable but sincere when they apologize for what happened. They mention something about him being part of them and the club needing him back. They're also not alone: he feels a lump on his throat once he recognizes the package with them and he can't fight back the tears once he opens the box and his old guitar, his most devoted friend for the past seven years, the one he had to give up so his family could have a ceiling over their heads, salutes him. The Glee club had done him horribly, but he could now see the good side that had been kept in the shadows so far for him.

Forgiveness is a blessing, is what he keeps reminding himself as he walks through the corridor and enters the choir room on the next day. He nods quietly at Mr. Schuester's '_Good to see you again, Sam_' as he walks towards the closest empty chair and occupies the seat, away from everyone. He's eager to find out what's the new challenge they're working on and avoids eye contact with every other person in the room.

Everything is going to be fine. He just needs some time.

**TBC**


	3. Part III - Rebirth from the ashes

**Disclaimer: **characters and places belong to Ryan Murphy and to Fox Network. If you find this fanfiction similar to another one, it's nothing more than a coincidence.

**Production: **September 2012 / June – August 2014

**Rating: **G

**Summary: **The first thing he notices is her laugh.

**Extra: **sets in S2. Scenes aren't transcripted from the episodes and do not follow every single detail from them, as you'll surely understand during your reading.

* * *

**A/N: **okay, I need to let everyone know that I'm back to work, therefore there's a strong chance I won't be able to update as regularly as I wished. Still, don't worry, this fanfiction _will_ be completed (and it won't be too long). :)

Once again, English is not my first language and I don't have a beta-reader at the moment, so I'm sorry for any mistakes, no one is perfect. Hope you enjoy this fanfiction as much as I enjoyed writing it.

* * *

**MISS PRETTY**

**Part III**

_**Rebirth from the ashes…**_

Time is their friend.

He doesn't talk much, but he gives a friendly wave back at those who greet him when he arrives at the meetings. He laughs at their jokes and sometimes engages in their conversations, even outside of the choir room. He doesn't tell them about his birthday, but he doesn't mind when they ask him how things are doing and tells them that they're still hoping for better days to come.

Things are developing slowly, but at least they are developing. He'll never forget what they did, but he's ready to forgive them and move on.

A few weeks later, Rachel waits for him at the choir room's door and asks if they could talk in private. He feels his heart beating faster as she takes him to the auditorium – he knows it's stupid but he doesn't like to be alone with her – but as soon as they get there, he finds Mercedes waiting for them at the stage. She seems slightly embarrassed and keeps staring at the floor, which confuses him; what could both girls want from him? Then, after a moment filled only with Rachel's babbling, Mercedes ends up asking if he would like to go to Prom with them.

_Wow!_ This is totally unexpected and he needs to think about it before giving them an answer. He wasn't planning to attend Prom: besides not being really thrilled about it, he can't afford it, there's no need to keep hiding the truth. He explains them that, but the girls have it all planned, with something that they've called a «Prom On a Budget», so that they could all go and enjoy it at the lowest price possible. And it's not even charity, as Rachel clearly states at the end of the explanation, it's just something to allow him to participate, like any regular person. So he could be part of the experience too.

It has been a while since he felt part of something, so he's touched that they came up with the idea to include him. He still remembers what they did, but they're slowly compensating for their mistakes. So he smiles and accepts the invitation, pulling the girls for a tight hug.

Both of his parents seem pleased when he tells them that he's going to Prom. His mother finds him a suit with the help of some old ladies from church and his father insists on teaching him some dance moves so he could impress his friends. Sam knows that, through their eyes, it's almost as if he's returning to his normal routine as a teenage boy and nothing could make them happier.

Everything is happening so well he starts feeling excited about the big night for the first time. Until Rachel shares some news on the day before that shake his renewed confidence…

"She invited Jesse?" she repeats in disbelief. "I mean, out of everyone in this world who could come to Prom with us, she invited _Jesse_?!"

Mercedes seems pissed after he tells her the message he has been asked to transmit. Now he understands why Rachel didn't want to talk to her personally – she's definitely not enjoying the idea. _At all_.

"I thought the more the merrier…" he shrugs while they're walking down the corridor towards their next class rooms.

"You don't know Jesse St. James, Sam!"

"He's that bad, uh?"

Something about his question makes her stop and calm down. He could swear she's smiling a bit when she answers back:

"He's like a male version of Rachel. I guess that's why they get along so well…" She sighs. "He was part of the Glee club for a brief period last year and he wasn't the nicest person. In fact, after he left he did this thing… Well, he's not someone whose personality is easy to enjoy! I'm telling you, Sam, this Prom ain't gonna be a picnic!"

Her final words are difficult to erase and he feels the lump on his throat again after hearing them. Suddenly, Prom is an experience he would like to avoid at his best.

Then he catches her staring straight at him. She's definitely smiling when she says:

"Hey, don't worry! It won't be _that_ bad!"

They arrive at her classroom, the point where their common path ends, and she leaves to her Math class with a wink and a wave. He's still thinking about all the things Mercedes said about Jesse and their imminent experience, but by the time he arrives at his classroom he's sure that, as long as she's there with him, Prom won't be as bad as he now fears it to be.

* * *

Jesse is… _Jesse_.

Like Mercedes had warned him, he's a male version of Rachel: self-centered and convinced he's the best thing since sliced bread, all of his words are about him, his talents and his achievements. Also, it's obvious that he shares a past with Rachel, since they're already at Breadstix when he arrives, acting very flirtatious and staring at each other while talking with big smiles on their faces, completely oblivious to the fact that they were still waiting for two other people to join them.

For all of this and more, Sam ends up feeling very relieved when Mercedes comes in, a bit late but looking radiant, more radiant than he ever saw her. She has this smile on her lips while showing down her pink dress ('_It's actually fuchsia_', she informs them) before taking the empty seat next to him and he's glad to see her smiling like that again – it has been a while and this reminds him he missed her music.

He's also glad to have her by his side when Jesse mocks his bolo tie and makes comments about his current situation. Rachel mentions something about hoping that he doesn't mind that she shared a personal matter of his with him and, obviously, he _does_ mind; he wasn't at ease enough to share it with people he could almost consider as friends, why wouldn't he mind that a total stranger now knew it too? But Mercedes keeps on smiling and puts her hand over his shoulder, as if saying _'Don't worry, this will all be over soon_', so he just nods and takes another sip at his drink, praying that dinner won't take them too long.

Rachel and Jesse monopolize the entire conversation during dinner and the walk to the gymnasium, so Sam and Mercedes pretty much only exchange exasperated looks all the time. He's actually pleased when they arrive at the party, his cue to leave with the excuse that he's opening the dance with the first musical act of the night. Puck and Artie join him backstage and a few minutes later he's losing himself in front of the audience, singing and dancing. Music would always be his favorite language, the easiest way to connect with other people, and everytime he uses it he feels like he's finally at his natural habitat.

But soon this is over too and it's time to introduce the next performer, right before he leaves the stage to step into reality again. Rachel is singing a ballad now and all the couples are dancing together. There's no one left and he's not in the mood to join Jesse, who's drooling over the lead singer at a corner of the dance floor. At the same moment, however, he notices a flash from a very familiar pink ("_I'm sorry, _fuchsia_!_") dress coming from the opposite direction: Mercedes is still sitting at a table, adjusting her corsage, with a couple of empty chairs as a company.

And that's the image that makes Sam understand – Mercedes is just like him. Someone who tries her best to fit in but ends up alone for no reason, no matter how hard she tries. It's almost funny in a sad way, because everyone considers her to be the girl who will always be there in case they need, but no one seems to be there in case _she_ needs. Everyone calls her to join them as part of the group, but she always ends up alone in a corner while they have fun together, without her. And she may pretend that she's okay with that, that it doesn't bother her to be left as a last resource, but he can see the truth now: she accepted to be part of the Prom group because she was too eager to be part of something, but she ended up with her expectations being defrauded.

Just like him.

That's why he approaches her, and calls her name. Their eyes meet and for once he sees the sadness in them, which makes him wonder how he never noticed it before. But she also seems more beautiful than he ever saw her, which is a much nicer thing to say. So he tells her that and asks if she wants to dance.

There's a moment of silence that seems to last an eternity. His imagination is out of control and he's waiting for her to burst in laughs, to let go of a '_Hell no!_' or to get annoyed because a lot of other guys have already asked her the same and she just wants a moment to be by herself. Instead, she looks down, smiles a bit. He can almost hear her music again when she whispers '_I'd love to_'.

So they dance. And they talk. They _really_ talk.

She tells him about the fuchsia dress, how she found it hanging from the last hanger of the last row at the second-hand store that she visited at the last minute and her mother thought it looked perfect on her; how proud her father seemed to be when she came down from her room, ready for Prom; how the dog tried to climb her up to lick her face in excitement and was the one guilty of her delay to dinner. He laughs and then tells her about his siblings, how badly they wanted to help him to get dressed but ended up only observing him, mildly annoyed, mildly giggly, while lying at their only bed; how his father guaranteed him that the bolo tie would make a success; how his mother still wanted to cut off his hair by the time he was about to leave because she didn't like it so long.

By the time they walk back home – alone, since Rachel had been asked to meet Jesse at the nearest coffeehouse – the level of conversation is already a little bit deeper. Sam is finally able to confess how much it hurts to see his parents, who have always been fighters, being defeated by something they can't control, to which Mercedes replies that, from what she hears from him, the entire family seems far from defeated. Later, it's her turn to talk about how much she misses her brother, who has left for college last year, and is fulfilling their father's dream of a real career while she's still stuck on her silly teenage dream of becoming a singer. And before he has the chance to tell her that it's not silly to want to share an amazing talent with the world, they reach the point where they should part ways – she thanks him for his company, kisses him on the cheek and carries down the street, leaving him the funny feeling that he has known Mercedes Jones for almost an entire year and maybe doesn't know her at all.

His father is waiting for him at the motel room's door to ask him how his night was. "It was good", it's what he tells him, but he's not being truly honest. More than good, Prom was _phenomenal_.

But for some reason, he wants to keep the details to himself.

**TBC**


	4. Part IV - It's more than that

**Disclaimer: **characters and places belong to Ryan Murphy and to Fox Network. If you find this fanfiction similar to another one, it's nothing more than a coincidence.

**Production: **September 2012 / June – August 2014

**Rating: **G

**Summary: **The first thing he notices is her laugh.

**Extra: **sets in S2. Scenes aren't transcripted from the episodes and do not follow every single detail from them, as you'll surely understand during your reading.

* * *

**A/N: **I apologize for my real life.

English is not my first language and I don't have a beta-reader at the moment, so I'm sorry for any mistakes, no one is perfect. Hope you enjoy this fanfiction as much as I enjoyed writing it. :)

* * *

**MISS PRETTY**

**Part IV**

_**It's more than that…**_

He wonders how it's going to be now. Were the moments they shared at Prom the beginning of a new friendship or simply sprung out of loneliness and now set to be forgotten?

When Monday finally comes, he's determined to have a concrete answer. That's why he wakes up earlier, rushes Stevie and Stacy at breakfast and walks into McKinley High way before the ring bell calls him to his World History class. He feels a bit like a stalker, walking through the corridors to make time so that the first settled place he goes to is her locker, so on schedule it's actually believable that he's there out of coincidence. But when Mercedes turns her head to face him and greets him with nothing but a wide open smile – possibly the warmest greeting she ever had to him – he also feels like it was worth it.

He should have known that pretending is never an answer when it comes to Miss Mercedes Jones.

The blossoming of their friendship marks the beginning of a new phase. Having Mercedes in his life holds no comparison to having anyone else. First, the music – the girl _literally_ sings all the time, and he can always hear her whispering songs when everyone around them is making a fuss and no one is really paying attention; then she laughs with one of his jokes and it's still the most beautiful sound he has ever heard coming out of her mouth. Second, he doesn't feel like he's walking on eggshells anymore – no matter what he says or how foolish he sounds, she doesn't seem to think any less of him, which is funny because this seems to boost his confidence and relax his anxiety, and he's starting to feel more and more at ease with himself. And third, perhaps the most important one, he just _likes_ being around her – he feels eager to see her when he's walking to school in the morning, he feels sad to come back without her, and he strongly wishes he had a real home that she could visit once in a while; he's sure his parents and siblings would adore her too.

Two weeks have passed now and they're attending a new meeting with the Glee club. As it has been usual so far, they sit near each other, since it makes it easier to exchange a conversation or simply mortified stares when Mr. Schuester drives them mad. But today it's another name that tests their patience: Rachel takes everyone by surprise when she runs towards the front of the class and announces Jesse St. James as an unbiased jury to decide who's going to represent the club at New York's Nationals.

He can't see how is this a good idea. Mercedes, on the other hand, can't hold back her excitement. She explains to him later that this might be her chance, her real chance to show her worth and prove that she's ready to take the responsibility. Sam is still not convinced, though: Jesse is too hung up on Rachel to be 'unbiased'. But Mercedes is feeling so excited for not having Mr. Schue behind the big decision that, even after what happens to Kurt and Santana, she remains confident about this. Her moment is here, she can totally feel it.

He wants to be there for her audition. They're behind closed doors but he can find a way, he's sure. She's the one who convinces him not to – she wants to be alone, for her own reasons. Sam accepts it and patiently waits in the choir room for her to come back victorious, sure that for once she had met the recognition she deserved. But Mercedes doesn't return and after everyone leaves, he decides to look for her in the school. He enters in a full row of classrooms, walks in front of her locker, goes to the bar and even tries the girls' bathroom (until the angry voice from one of the stalls scares him away), in vain. She's nowhere to be found.

Puzzled, he's about to go home when he recognizes her car in the school's parking lot. A shadow tells him that she's inside, so he approaches her with a smile and taps in her window.

"Hey, I've been looking everywhere for you, where…" He stops when he notices she's crying. "What happened?"

"I'm sorry, Sam, but I need to be alone right now, okay? Please…"

He intends to leave, he does. He's aware that, sometimes, being alone is all that it's needed to mend a broken heart. But he's also aware that he knows Mercedes a little better than before. So, when he realizes it, he has walked around the car, opened the door and is now sitting next to her. When he closes the door, he notices that she's still crying but hasn't demanded him to leave yet.

"Whatever he said," he whispers, while facing her in the eye, "you know it's bullshit. He's here to take Rachel to New York and he's going to do anything to bring everyone else down!"

"Sam," two tears run down her face, "Sam, I'm sorry!"

He blinks, confused. Sorry for what?

"I'm so sorry for what I said during the Big Fight!"

The Big Fight – the name they had given to that argument that had culminated with Sam revealing the truth about his family's economical situation and storming out of the choir room, boiling in rage against all of them.

"I don't even know why I said that," Mercedes continues, "I was just so angry at everything… And it wasn't even about you, I just let those bad emotions pile up inside of me for days and then threw them all against you because I snapped at the worst moment! And I know this is not an excuse for what I did, but… you've been so nice to me lately and I feel so bad about this, I needed to apologize and let you know… I'm sorry!"

He can't pretend that she didn't disappoint him back then – Mercedes doesn't care about rumors, she always sticks by your side, that's what they said. And yet, she had decided that he wasn't worth of her second thoughts, and had left him alone against the angry mob. Even worse: she hadn't believed in Kurt, her best friend, and in Quinn, who had once called Mercedes her 'sister at heart'.

Then he notices her staring at him and he sees the pain behind the tears that cover her dark eyes. He remembers that it has been a while since he saw Kurt and Mercedes joined by the hip like they used to be. He remembers how Quinn had quickly changed the subject when he mentioned that Mercedes and her didn't seem as close as she was pretending them to be.

And he realizes he doesn't need anything else.

"It's okay, Mercedes. Water under the bridge!" Sam smiles and puts his left arm around her shoulders, bringing her closer to him. "Hey, how about we leave this place and go to the Lima Bean so you can introduce me to those chocolate éclairs you love so much?"

"Those things are full of carbs…" She cleans up her eyes with her hands and grabs the wheel, suddenly very determined. "Yes, let's have a dozen!"

"I'll have one."

"There's no way you'll only have one, Sam, they're really great! Normally, you'd have to fight me for the last one but since it's you, we can share the dozen fairly!"

They both reach out for the seat belts after she starts the car. It's amazing how Mercedes was able to transform herself in such a short amount of time, but he's glad he can't see the pain anymore. So he just shakes his head and laughs, trying not to think about his carb-free diet and what a bunch of chocolate éclairs can do to his body.

"Okay, 'Cedes," he adds before they leave. "Anything to make you happy."

* * *

New York is beautiful, he gets it. There are too many things to do, too many things to see… _He gets it_. Still, he doesn't get why aren't they caring more about Nationals, or about the fact that their 'big chance' is coming their way!

The songs could be better and the choreography is lazy – but that's only his opinion, apparently. Mr. Schuester seems to be dreaming high about his future on Broadway and Finn and Rachel are too stuck in their complicated love story to pay attention to anything else. Sure, he could step up and take over the club, he would end up doing a much better job than the current leaders; but let's be real, he's not willing to push for people who aren't in the mood to be pushed. If they want to sink, fine, let them sink, he doesn't care enough anyway.

Also, the fact he can't keep _her_ out of his mind isn't helping at all.

He's not sure of what's happening. With Quinn, their thing had always been physical attraction with a dash of quest for popularity; they work better as friends, as he understands now, and he's at peace with that. With Santana, there hadn't even been a real thing. But with Mercedes… What's his thing with Mercedes?

All Sam knows is that he likes her – he likes her and the music that surrounds her, he likes the way she looks at him, he likes the way she makes him feel. He wonders how it would feel like to slide his fingers around her face, to interlace his hands with hers, to hold her tight and rest his head against her shoulder, lulled by the rhythm of her heart beating against his chest. When he comes to her, there are no second intentions, no quest for anything, unless feeling good is something he can quest for. So, what could this thing be?

Could this be… _it_?

The competition goes wrong – better than the expected embarrassment, but still wrong. Sam tries to remain positive in front of the group, but the truth is he's not surprised when Mr. Schuester announces that they're not making it to the second round. In silence, he takes the elevator back to the boys' room with Mike and Artie, but a huge confusion is waiting for them once they get there: everyone is letting go of their anger and they're headed against Rachel and Finn's unprofessional kiss at the end of the performance. Santana is the loudest one, screaming in Spanish what he presumes to be nasty words, and he's soon called to stop her from physically assaulting them. It's not until later, after Kurt takes Rachel to the other room and Santana calms down next to Brittany, while counting the nail scratches on his arms and trying hard not to point out that they had all failed as a group, Sam realizes that Mercedes is missing.

He leaves the room, sure that no one would miss him, and after a few minutes finds her at the floor's balcony, leaning over the edge, staring at the sky above the city. Without a word, he approaches her and, since he's having a hard time reading the lines on her face but is sure of what's bothering her, promises that next year they'll do better. Maybe, who knows, they can coach them to do better (a boy can dream, right?). But she lets go of a sad sigh and suddenly announces that she's not planning to come back next year.

Something freezes inside of him after hearing these words. She keeps talking – about how her heart is no longer here, how this used to be her safe space but it's just another source of frustration now – but he's not listening to her. He's trying to imagine a Glee club without her, without her voice and her music, and it doesn't make any sense. Mercedes _is_ the Glee club; Rachel and Finn might provide the base, they all are the heart, but she is the soul. There is no Glee club without Mercedes. And there's definitely no glee for Sam without Mercedes.

He stutters a bit, but manages to ask her to think twice. It's the end of the year and they're all tired; she tried and she's feeling sad for failing, but in September she'll feel differently, he's sure. She will be back and full of strength, strength that they'll need to rebuild their path towards victory. He doesn't tell her that he'll miss her, that he needs her, that he can't think of going to that school without sharing more than just its space with her. The last thing he wants is to be called selfish, for putting his own needs above the fact that she's tired of being treated like a tool.

Mercedes smiles and tells him that it's just an idea, not set on stone for now. Still, she feels like no one is really going to miss her anymore. That's a lie, Sam tells her; despite the fact that everyone loves her, even if they fail to show it, he'll miss her. He's not that great of an excuse, but he'll miss her terribly. Her eyes seem to shine as bright as the stars above them when she tells him that it's not true – he's always great, if he correctly hears what she's whispering. They're so close now he can see a fine line of water surrounding her orbits, he can count the small freckles on her nose that he hadn't noticed she had until now. He's sure that the Earth has stopped spinning while he was staring at her and she smiles shyly, bringing her music back.

He doesn't even know why he does it; he can only feel his heart beating faster as his head moves towards her and their lips briefly touch. He's willing to close his eyes and let himself lose in the moment, but she breaks it the next second, pulling away and looking back in shock at him. He can read the surprise painted all over her facial expression, but there's something else in there that he can't quite figure out – his heart keeps beating fast as he mentally prays that it's not anger or something just as bad.

Sam tries to apologize but monosyllables are everything he's able to say. Mercedes mumbles something about being late and needing to go but he can't let her go, not now, not after what happened. He was obviously out of his mind, he just feels for her something he cannot name but has never felt for anyone else, and he never meant to scare her away. But she's not listening and soon leaves, abandoning him at the balcony with his messed up thoughts and feelings.

He can't believe he held the world on his hands for a fraction of second and still managed to blow it.

**TBC**

* * *

**A/N 2: **this came out a bit longer than I expected (and wanted) it to be. I'm sorry, but I was overwhelmed with feelings and this was the best I could do. I really hope you're appreciating it so far because next chapter will be the last one. Have a lovely time and see you on my return. :D


	5. Part V - Perfect for each other

**Disclaimer: **characters and places belong to Ryan Murphy and to Fox Network. If you find this fanfiction similar to another one, it's nothing more than a coincidence.

**Production: **September 2012 / June – August 2014

**Rating: **G

**Summary: **The first thing he notices is her laugh.

**Extra: **sets in S2. Scenes aren't transcripted from the episodes and do not follow every single detail from them, as you'll surely understand during your reading.

* * *

**A/N: **hey, guys! Like I've warned you before, this is the final chapter. I want to thank you for the journey, hope you've enjoyed this as much as I did (even if it felt a bit short), and thank you for all your words and actions of support. Samcedes is love – don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise.

Be happy,

Bel :)

* * *

**MISS PRETTY**

**Part V**

_**Perfect for each other**_

When Sam arrives at the Lima Bean, she's already sitting at the table, waiting for him. There's a cup of coffee over the table and a plate with two chocolate éclairs left that she attempts to hide in a vacant chair as he comes closer, asks the girl behind the counter for the same, and sits in front of her.

"Hi!"

"Hello!"

She doesn't even look straight at his face. Feeling suddenly dry, he tries:

"Look…"

"We should…" she says at the same time.

Another awkward pause and she can only shake her head. After a few seconds that seem to last an eternity, Mercedes offers: "You first."

He has always learned that ladies should speak first, but this time he's really desperate and he's going to take any chance he can.

"Look… I'm sorry, 'kay?" His voice trembles and he finds himself praying that he'll be able to do this before it breaks for good. "I'm sorry for what I did in New York, I had no right and I apologize for my behavior. I feel like I should tell you, I'm a bit impulsive…"

"A _bit_?" Mercedes' right eyebrow arches in disbelief. "You gave Quinn a promise ring two weeks after you started dating!"

"You know about that?!"

"Sam, the whole school knows!"

Okay, he wasn't expecting that! Still, he attempts to regain his posture before carrying on:

"Fine, I'm _very_ impulsive. More than impulsive, I'm an idiot! But, please…" He reaches out for her hand but the strength of her stare makes him think twice. No, he doesn't need to make her feel uncomfortable again. "I like you, Mercedes. I like hanging around with you. These past few weeks have been great. Sometimes, I even allow myself to forget about the problems at home and just be me, you know? You make me feel a whole new person and, let me tell you, I like that person. I like that person _a lot_!"

"Yeah…" She retrieves her hands from the table and all of her face seems tense. "You tend to feel that about a lot of girls, don't you?"

"Like this?" Sam smiles gently at her assumption. "No, you're actually the first."

She doesn't believe him and he knows it. So, after the clerk girl briefly interrupts them to bring the coffee he had ordered, he tries again:

"For some reason, I thought you felt the same. When we were together that night, at the balcony, I gazed into your eyes and I just assumed we were in sync." If only there was a way to guarantee her that every single word of his is the truth. He cannot bear the idea that Mercedes might think he's just some other kind of guy. "I know I shouldn't have done it, but I got lost in the moment. And that's why I kissed you. Please, believe me, I'd never do anything like this if it had crossed my mind I was being disrespectful towards you!"

Mercedes sighs again. She's staring down when she murmurs: "I don't…"

"_Please_, say you forgive me! I really want us to remain friends! I can't… I can't go back to not having you in my life, especially because of something stupid I've done!"

"I don't," she repeats, still staring down, "know how I feel about you."

Another pause, but this time there's something more to it than just awkwardness. Sam can sense the apprehension and the mild humiliation coming from her side, and his heart suddenly skips a beat. He wonders if the feeling of hope is real or just an extension of his imagination.

"I've never been in this situation." Her voice sounds weak but her eyes seem challenging when she raises them from her lap and crosses them with his. She's not ready to accept defeat, whatever combat it's about to burst between them. "I've never… had a guy interested on me before."

His surprise is such after these words, he can't help it:

"What, really?! Wait…" Sam frowns and raises a hand as his mind ties up every loose end of the conversation: "Does this mean I was your first…?"

"Yeah," she drags her chair back, "I think it's time for me to go!"

"No, wait! Don't go!"

His hand grabs her arm before she has time to get up. The young couple in the nearest table is now observing them, but he doesn't care. Mercedes does seem to mind, however, since she gives them a shy smile and then brings the chair back into the original position, as if nothing had happened.

When he understands that she's waiting for him to make the first move, he just shakes his head in disbelief.

"Wow, Mercedes, I'm sorry!" He leans forward and takes his hand to his chest, right above his heart. "I'm so sorry I just went in like that, I must have scared you! No wonder you ran away!"

"You didn't _scare_ me, I just… I don't know!" She looks around, but no one is paying attention to them anymore. Her voice is low when she explains: "I think I need to take things slowly, okay?"

"Okay…"

"I need time to properly understand what's happening with me, with _us_. And we certainly can't tell people about this!"

He knows that those 'people' are their New Directions colleagues, and for him that's just fine – they like to turn everything into a circus and it's going to be a blessing to cut them out of their personal lives, at least until they're sure of what's happening on it.

"Summer is just around the corner," he reminds her with an innocent smile, "no one needs to know."

Mercedes seems a little more at ease after hearing his words. Her hands are back over the table, with fingers interlocked, and her eyes are avoiding his, but the corners of her mouth are curved in a slight smile. The tension is gone; all he can feel now is peace of mind and even some… _thrill_?

"So," he proposes after a while, taking the first sip at his coffee "do you want to go to the movies tonight?"

"Starring that Matthew McConaughey guy?"

Sam just laughs. "No, I promise, no more McConaughey!"

"Then fine for me." She recovers the plate from the chair next to her and hands it to him. "A treat to remember? We should go now, I'll give you a ride home."

"Can we pick up Stevie and Stacy too?" He takes one of the éclairs after she winks in agreement. "Let's go!"

They get up pretty much at the same time; his coffee is already a bit colder than he likes it to be, but it helps him to swallow and he's finished with both when they cross the glass door and leave for the street, in that warm June afternoon. Mercedes' car is near and both enter it at the proper pace.

It's not until they're at their seats, practically ready to leave, that Sam finally decides to fight the burden that remains on his chest and reunites the courage to ask:

"Can I…" He takes a deep breath. He can do this, he can. "Can we pretend that nothing ever happened and just have another chance to make your first kiss right?"

Sam expects her to freak out; to throw him a death glare, to sigh as a warning sign, to explain him for the last time that she wants to take it slow and a public display of affection – right here, right now – is not exactly what she's looking for. He knows that it's not. But he also knows he wants to do it right for once; he wants her to know how the real thing feels like, in case she wants to base decisions on his first sloppy try.

Instead, Mercedes stares back at him for a moment. He can almost swear she has stopped breathing when she opens her lips in a little smile and simply nods. _God!_, that was unexpected, but he quickly recovers from the surprise and approaches her. He knows there's a high chance his grin is making him look like a complete idiot right now, but that's not on his mind when they're close, just as close as that night at the balcony in New York. The last thing he notices is her laugh, just before he leans to kiss her and everything turns into black.

(Somewhere, her music starts playing again.)

**THE END**


End file.
